Opposites Attract
by clarabranson
Summary: Severus Snape and Clara Branson hate each other with the fire of a thousand suns. When Professor Slughorn volunteers Severus to show off his talent in potions during the Slug Club party, the two have a change of heart. SSxOC oneshot OOC Severus Snape


"Ah, Clara Branson! How nice of you to join us!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed the moment I stepped into his office. It was the year's first Slug Club meeting, and my first one as well.  
I looked shyly at my feet, examining my newly polished, black shoes.  
"No need to be shy, Clara. Come right this way and take a look at this perfect example of _The Draught of Living Death _done by talented Severus over here" Slughorn praised Severus Snape, a Slytherin a year above me.  
Snape was standing smirking beside a steaming cauldron full of a thick, black liquid. I glared slightly at him, I didn't like him the least bit, he had insulted my best friend Lily Evans by calling her a mu-, well a _disgusting _word. He glared right back at me, but his glare included a bit more, the Ravenclaw quidditch team that I captained had beat Slytherin in quidditch the last couple of games. The sign of him still being bugged by that made a smile tug on my lips.  
"Could I try it out _Severus_?" I asked, faking a kind and interested voice while Slughorn was here.  
"Of course, Clara" he mimicked my manner of saying the first name.  
"I prefer you call me Clara, or that you call me by my last name, thank you" I growled, my facade slipping and the highlights in my basic chestnut hair blossoming into a faded red color. I'm an metmorphmagus, the highlights in my hair change according to my mood, and I can change the color of my iris at choice.  
Snape just rolled his eyes at my "stupidity".  
I stole a white rose from one of the many vases with various flowers and show it to Snape.  
"Well, let's see if it works then" I tried to put up a kind and light hearted voice but even I think it's unconvincing.  
Carefully I laid the snow white rose onto the slimy liquid so it floats on the surface.  
It was unaffected for a moment, until the tips of the petals turn a blackish color and it curls inwards at it slowly withers. The head of the flower that used to be beautiful and elegant floats higher up in the grime, showing off where the potion stained the rose.  
"Oh, bravo!" Slughorn cheered as he saw the result "We have several of Severus' splendid makings on display in several places of the room, maybe you could show this young enthusiast, Severus?"  
"Oh, there is no need to-" I started to reject the proposal, trying to be polite, but I was cut off.  
"Rubbish, rubbish, there is no need to be shy. Think of the opportunities if a young Ravenclaw like yourself could learn from a master as the one standing before you. In, perhaps, private lessons?" Slughorn has gone too far this time.  
"Professor, I really don't think I can fit that in on my schedule. It's already full of quidditch, homework times and prefect duties" I object, slightly more harshly this time, but Slughorn does not see any signs of my unwillingness.  
"BUT, that can be arranged!" he exclaimed ecstatically "Use your arranged time, as you call it, for potions and I shall cut down on the work you are given. You are already far ahead of the class already!"  
I sighed in surrender, there is no way I can do anything about it without hurting Slughorn's feelings, which I sorely want to avoid.  
"What about you give the girl a lesson at once, Severus, I will inform the headmaster about why you are out of bed at this time of night, the party is close to a finish anyway." Slughorn directed his question to Snape this time.  
The pale boy just nodded in reply, his dark eyes hiding all signs of emotion.  
"I have a almost finished sample of the _Amortentia _elixir in the teachers cabinet behind my desk, the only things that remain to be done is adding the last sprinkles of the powdered mistletoe berry seeds and a dash of horklump juice" Slughorn continued, giving Snape instructions on what he had to do.  
Snape motioned for me to follow him, and he lead me out of the blissful atmosphere of the engorged office, out into the dimmly lit, damp and cold corridors, leading to the dungeons. Despite all the windows being closed, a slight, cold breeze ran through the hallways, sending shudders down my spinal cord. I shift my eye color to a light blue, as I've heard that it may help to see better in the dark.  
After descending several staircases Snape pushed aside a heavy wooden door, reveling the very familiar potions classroom, just in a much darker lighting. Snape took out his wand and moved it in a swishing motion across the air, making the torches light up with orange flames.  
I jumped back at the sudden flare of open fire on each single stick.  
"Not used to lighting with fire?" Snape asked sarcastically, laughing at my reaction  
"I come from a total wizard family, thank you, so I grew up with this kind of lighting" I said defensively, crossing my arms over my chest. I'm not usually one to talk about blood types, I honestly don't care, but when someone accuses me for not being a proper witch I may talk without thinking.  
The older boy didn't reply and just walked over to a cabinet behind professor Slughorn's desk. Out of the cupboard he hauled out a large, silver cauldron and a marble mortar.  
He carefully placed it down on the teachers desk, before jobbing over to the students ingredients cabinet and takes out a jar with bright white berries and a bottle with some kind of juice inside. As he took it over to the desk as well and went through the drawers looking for something I notice how elegant and familiar he moves when next to a cauldron. Without my noticing the streaks in my hair started lightening to a pale yellow color, but when I noticed I shook my head furiously changing the highlights back to the angry red ones. 'I don't want to be here' I remind myself sharply.  
"Are you coming or what?" Snape called out, snapping me out from my trance.  
I walked over slowly as he started cutting up the mistletoe berries and shaking out the seeds within. When they're all out of one berry he pressed out the juice into a small vial and puts the left over skin an a small, closed off basket.  
"Why are you doing that, I mean you only need the seeds, right?" I asked curiously  
"Every part of an ingredient is useful after one small part has been taken away" he replied quietly.  
I fixed my eyes upon his graceful fingers as he continued the job. He is extremely dexterous and not a drop of juice is spilled.  
At last he finished up with the seed gathering and carefully makes them into a very fine powder.  
I stared in amazement at how clever his hand movements are and how he pressed and rubbed the seed in just the right places to make everything perfect.  
Carefully he measured so that he has the right amount of powder and set the cauldron over a fresh, warm flame. In spirals he sprinkled the pulverized seeds over the soon to be golden potion.  
A weird smell started to ooze from the cauldron and Snape quickly poured a certain amount of horklump juice into the potion. This is also done in spirals.  
At last he stirred the golden mass around in the cauldron in spirals going the opposite way as he poured the juice. He slowly made his way to the middle until...  
"It's finished now" he declared proudly, looking up into my light blue eyes  
"Great" I breathed, staring deep into his dark orbs.  
"Your hair, it's a different color" he whispered "the streaks are bright yellow..."  
"They are?" I asked carefully "You don't like it?"  
"I like it that way" he replied, inching his way closer to me.  
I now noticed the smell of the potion, it's almost intoxicating, sending off the smell of homemade bread, my home, and... is that a faint smell of potions brewing?  
I closed my eyes, carefully taking in each individual odor, trying to separate them...  
"The highlights are black" a silky voice whispered beside my ear.  
"That's because I'm focusing" I said, still with my eyes closed.  
"I wonder..." the male voice trailed off  
"What?" I asked lightly  
"How it will look when I do this" he finished and without any warning something is pressed against my lips.  
The opposite pair of lips are cold, but warm, curious, but loving.  
Then I did the unthinkable, I kissed back. I kissed back the Slytherin I had though I hated...


End file.
